Detachable keyboard for pianos.



Patented Oct. 19, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

ATTORNEY H. ROWNTREE.

DETACHABLE KEYBOARD FOR PIANOS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB- 91 1915.

ffifl WITNESSES H. ROWNTREE.

DETACHABLE KEYBOARD FOR PIANOS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 9, 19l5.

Patented Oct. 19, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

IN ENTO 'BYQQIMMMZ ATTORNEY.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HAROLD ROWNTREE, OF KENILWORTH, ILLINOIS.

DETACHABLE KEYBOARD FOR PIANOS.

Application filed February 9, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HAROLD Rowx'rnnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kenilworth, county of Cook, State of Illlnois, have made a certain new and useful Invention in Detachable Keyboards for Pia-nos, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates .to detachable keyboards for pianos.

The object of the invention is to provlde a key-board for pianos which may be readily and easily detached from the piano body.

A further object of the invention 15 to provide means whereby a piano may be reduced in width for convenience in moving, storing, shipping, or other purposes.

Further objects of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter.

The invention consists substantially in the construction, combination, location and rela tive arrangement of parts, all as will be more fully hereinafter set forth, as shown in the accompanying drawings, and finally pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings :Figure 1 is a plan View, parts broken out, of a piano embodying the principles of my invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the keyboard detached. Fig. 3 is a view in section taken on the line 3, 3, Fig. 1, and looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. r is a view similar to Fig. 3, taken on the line 4 l,

Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows, parts broken out and with the front legs swung into their folded position. Fig. is an enlarged detail view, partly in section, showing means employed to hinge the piano keys. Fig. 6, is a similar view taken on the line 66, Fig. 5.

The same part is designated by the same reference numeral wherever it occurs throughout the several views.

I11 moving pianos from one room to another, or from one house to another. it often occurs that the piano is of a width too large to permit its passage through the doors of apartment houses, or the like. On this account doors and doorways have to be frequently dismantled or torn down. It also sometimes occurs that the piano casing is scratched,marred or otherwise defaced while passing through doorways which are of listsufticient width to accommodate the passage of the' piano therethrough. Also in ship ping pianos it is necessary to securely inclose Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 19, 1915.

Serial No. 7,215.

the same in large packing boxes of special shape which are bulky, occupy too much space, and are difficult to handle.

It is among the special purposes of my invention to provide a keyboard for pianos which may be readily and easily detached, and a support for the same which may serve as the front legs of the piano when the keyboard is attached for use, but may be folded back against the lower face of the piano body to facilitate moving or shipping when the keyboard is detached from the piano body. To this end I employ the usual piano body 1, which may be of any well known type or construction. For illustrative. purposes l have shown an upright piano body suitably supported, if desired. by casters, rollers. or the like, The piano is supplied with the usual front vertical legs 3, which include transversely extending horizontal arms at their tops and bottoms. as indicated at 5, 6. The legs 3 are either rigidly secured to the arms 5, 6, or formed in one piece therewith. and the arms 3. .3 are attached to the body of the piano 1 by means of hinges t which allow the entire front leg supporting frame 3, 5 and (3 to be swung inwardly into close parallel relation to the front lower surface of the piano. as indicated in dotted lines, Fig. 2 and in full lines Fig. 4. there being a leg 3 and its associated arms at each end of the piano.

The key board consists of the usual casing 8, open at its rear, keys 9, key covering 10, see Figs. 1 and 2, key base. 11. and key board base 12. These may all be of the usual well known type, and detailed description of them may be therefore omitted except that the front portion of the key board base is provided with a pin 11, at each end of its under surface, which projects downwardly to fit into a seat 15 provided for it in the top portion of the key board support 5 when said support is in extended position. The piano body 1, likewise includes the usual and well known parts such as levers 16, key base 17 strings 18, string bridge or support '19, and the hammers and their associated levers and attachments which make up the piano action and which may be of any desirable construction well known to the art and which I have generally designated by reference numeral 20. The keyboard support 12 is also provided with a plurality of horizontally extending pins on its rear edge to fit into seats 21 provided for them in a longitudinally extending frame member or other key supporting part 22 in the piano body, which is in turn supported by the vertical front portion of the piano body A.

From the foregoing it will be seen that. when'it is desired to detach the key-board from the piano when the piano is in its normal position in use, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the front of the key board is raised in the direction indicated by the dotted arrow, Fig. :3, so that the pins 14 raise out of their seats 16, and from this position the key board is then moved horizontally away from the piano body to disengage the pins 23 from their respective seats 21 as indicated by the full line arrows. It is evident that after the keyboard has been removed, the legs or front supporting portions 3, 5, 6 may be rocked on the hinges & to a position parallel with and close to the front body surface of the piano. It is obvious that the reverse of the operation above described will permit the detached keyboard to be again attached to the piano body, and that pins 14 resting in their respective seats 15 in the front supporting portions 3, 5, (i, hold the same securely in their extended position for use.

From the foregoing it. will be seen that the operating keys 9 of the keyboard must be hinged or otherwise suitably detachable from that portion 16 of the key levers which are positioned in the piano body and operate the hammers and their associated members 20. This may be accomplished in many different ways. I have shown a simple arrangement wherein the key members are divided, as hereinbefore mentioned, into two sections, 9, 16, the sections 9 being suitably connected to the key base 11 of the detachable key board, and the sections 16 likewise suitably connected to the key base 17 of the main piano body. I prefer to provide each of the respective key sections 9, with a downwardly extending leg 30 adapted to be placed in contact with a similar leg 37, of each respective key section 16 (see Fig. 5). If desired, and as shown, these legs 30, 37, may be provided with rounded portions 31 at their points of contact, to eliminate friction, and, if desired, to afford a seat for felt, or other shock absorbing material between the contacting key section legs. as indicated at 32. In this way the flexibility and delicateness of motion of the key is not affected by thus employing a divided key.

The respective key sections 9, 16, may be mounted upon their respective key bases 11, 17, in any suitable manner. I have shown an upwardly extending leg 33, 38, on the respective key bases, terminating approximately at the interior angle of interception of the respective key sections and their re spective legs. Pins 34, 39, are suitably mounted in the ends of the legs 33. 33, and extending at an approximate angle of 45 upwardlv into converging conical seats 35, 40, provided for them in the key sections. The pins EH, 39, thereby serve as fulcrums for the key sections,'a11d the movement of the sections is limited only by the sides of the conical seat therein. If desired, washers 36, 41 of felt or other suitable material may be mounted between the legs 33, 38, of the key support and the key sections, thereby securing noiseless operation of the key sec tions.

Although I have shown and described one form of my invention, it will be understood that many variations and changes in the details of the construction might readily occur to persons skilled in the art without departing from the broad scope of my invention as defined in the claims.

My invention is also applicable to the use of an automatic piano player or the like. The key board in this case would first be removed and the operating pistons of the piano player which operate on the keys, would be so arranged as to operate on the portions 37, 16, of the key sections that remain in the piano body. It is evident that a piano player may also be applied in the usual way, to the key board as attached.

From the foregoingdescription it will be seen that I provide a readily detachable and removable front key-board, by the removal of which the front legs of the piano may be folded against the front face of the piano casing thereby greatly diminishing the space occupied by the piano, and greatly facilitating the handling. packing, storing and transportation of the same.

What I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is,-

1. In a piano, the combination with a main piano body containing key sections and a keyboard containing cooperating key sections, said key board adapted to be detached from said body.

2. In a piano, the combination with a main piano body containing key sections and a keyboard containing cooperating key sections, legs attached to said piano and forming a support for said key-board, and means for detaching said key-board and its key sections from said main piano body and its key sections and from said support.

3. In a piano, the combination with a main piano body and a key board and cooperating key sections contained in said body and said key board, legs attached to said piano and forming a support for said key board. and means for detaching said key board from said main piano body and support. said legs being foldable against said main piano body when said key board is detaehed.

'l. In a piano. the combination with a main piano body, a key board, keys therefor divided into cooperating sections and atand a detachable key board carrying the other key sections.

7. A piano body having a piano action and operating key sections, in combination with leg structures to fold against the front side of the body, and a key board detachably supported on said body and leg structures and having cooperating key sections.

8. A. piano having an action and operating key sections, said sections having angle arms, in combination with a key board (letachably connected to said body and having key sections provided with cooperating angle arms.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of the subscribing witnesses, on the 20th day of January, A. D.

HAROLD ROWN TREE. Witnesses:

FRANK JoHNsoN, CHAS. A. GERING. 

